Newton to celebrate Fourth with parade, fireworks

The Annual Fourth of July Parade will take place 9:30 a.m. Thursday. The theme will be “Salute to our American Patriots.”

The parade route begins at DMACC, heads south on West Fourth Street North to First Avenue West. From there, it heads east on First Avenue to East Fourth Street, then north on East Fourth Street North to North Second Avenue East. From there, it heads back toward DMACC on North Second Avenue.

Food and festivities will follow on the courthouse square with a new expanded kids’ fun area.

The annual fireworks display is being moved to a new location, Agnes Patterson Park, this year. The show will be launched from the northwest corner of the park starting at dusk.

Agnes Patterson Park will be closed until 6:30 p.m. Thursday for safety reasons. This includes all trails, fields, and playgrounds. At 6:30 p.m., the south entrance gate on North Fourth Avenue East will be open to traffic and people may begin parking in the park.

The east entrance will remain closed until the event is over. Once the parking lots are full, all new traffic will be restricted from entering the park. The bike trail entering the park from the northwest will remain closed all day.

Additional Parking

Those attending at Agnes Patterson may park in nearby neighborhoods and access the park after 6:30 p.m. via the bike trails on the southwest side of the park. Parking will also be allowed on North 11th Avenue East, but no access to the park will be granted from the road.

There will be no parking along East 31st Street North (a.k.a. The Beltline Road). The Newton Police Department will be enforcing parking restrictions the night of the event.

Safety Zone

All event goers will be required to avoid the fireworks safety zone area at the northwest corner of the park. The setback area includes the northwest trail entrance and the two northwest soccer fields. The zone will be marked with signs and the public must stay out of this area at all times.

Tips for a Fun Evening

For those planning to park within Agnes Patterson Park, carpooling is highly advised. Because the fireworks will be a lower, more intense display, the best place to view the show is from the athletic fields inside the park, especially, if you have young children.

Those attending at Agnes Patterson are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to setup on the fields to view the display. After the event, people are asked to remove all personal items and trash from the fields.